Xiaomi Redmi 6 Hands-on [Images]

Xiaomi has launched the Redmi 6 series in India and we have the Redmi 6 – an entry-level Android smartphone and the successor to the Redmi 5 which was launched around 6 months ago. The Redmi 6 is an upgrade from its predecessor with main highlights such as the dual cameras, a new 12nm CPU, and MIUI 9.6 based on Android 8.1 Oreo.

Availability: From 10th September on Mi.com, Flipkart, Mi Homes, and offline retail stores

The first change in the phone is its design, it now uses a polycarbonate body unlike the Redmi 5 which uses a metallic back. The design is quite stagnant, there’s nothing surprising about its design.

The sides are curved adding to the ergonomics and it is slim and light in weight, thanks to its plastic body. The back side offers a dual camera setup, a fingerprint scanner, and loudspeakers which might block the sound when placed on a flat surface.

Speaking of the display, it has a 5.45-inch IPS display with a resolution of HD+ (1440 x 720 pixels) and an aspect ratio of 18:9. The screen size is a tad smaller as compared to the Redmi 5 sized at 5.7-inch.

The main highlight of the phone is its power-saving 12nm CPU, the Redmi 6 is powered by MediaTek’s Helio P22 (MT6762) SoC laced with 3 GB RAM. After a long time, Xiaomi has launched a phone in India with MediaTek chip inside. Until now, Xiaomi was stuck with the Qualcomm chips due to a legal battle with Ericsson.

It comes in two storage variants – 32 GB and 64 GB with an option to expand it via microSD card. The microSD card comes dedicated that means you can enjoy dual SIM and microSD all at the same time. The phone supports dual VoLTE feature which will allow you to run two 4G SIM cards simultaneously.

Moving to the cameras, the second main highlight of the hone is the dual cameras on the back. The rear side hooks up a 12 MP + 5 MP dual cameras with support for AI and Portrait mode. The front side carries a 5 MP selfie camera. Also added is the AI Face Unlock that unlock the Redmi 6 using your face.

On the software and battery front, the Redmi 6 runs on MIUI 9.6 OS which is based off on Android 8.1 Oreo with the traditional MIUI perks. The phone ships with a 3,000 mAh battery with a charger rated 5V and 1A. The battery sounds inferior to the 2-generation old Redmi 4 that comes with 4,100 mAh battery as well as the predecessor Redmi 5 with 3,300 mAh.

Xiaomi has been degrading things, we saw the shift from the metallic to polycarbonate and the smaller battery. What is new are the dual cameras and a newer CPU.

The bottom offers a micro USB port and a microphone while the top has a 3.5 mm audio jack with another microphone. The right side has power and volume keys and the left side has SIM and microSD options we already discussed.

Dual SIM + MicroSD, Supports Dual-VoLTE

The price for the Xiaomi Redmi 6 starts at Rs 7,999 for 32 GB variant and Rs 9,499 for Rs 64 GB variant. It is available on Flipkart as well as Mi Home stores.